stewards of the natural world...we were preserving significant, unique, dramatic, and remnant . ......

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National Parks

August 2013

2Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

Table of Contents

3 Introduction

4 Creating a National Park from the Bottom Up

8 Where the Wild Things Are in Yellowstone Park

14 Afghans Work to Preserve Band-e-Amir National Park Habitats

18 When Every Second Counts

26 From Maps to GeoDesign

30 A Decade of Success

33 National Park Service Follows the Modern Lewis and Clark Trail

36 New Yellowstone Website Provides Interactive Maps on Volcanic Activity

40 Conserving Earth's Gentle Giants

44 Conservation Group Seeks to Save Rare Ethiopian Wolves

3IntroductionStewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

When man began to understand the devastating effects of

human actions on natural earth systems, he reacted with a new

concept: conservation. This era began with the preservation

of significant, unique examples of ecosystems, perhaps best

exemplified by Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks. This

was followed by much preservation of dramatic and remnant

pieces of ecosystems.

For all its successes, conservation was not without its problems.

We were preserving significant, unique, dramatic, and remnant

pieces, but we were still losing ecosystems.

The fragmentation issue is huge in an era where landownership

and development preclude us from preserving all the pieces

needed to make a complete, natural ecosystem. But humans

are incredibly smart and have an amazing array of technologies

available to extend their abilities. We may not be able to restore

complete ecosystems, but we now have the scientific and

technical ability to manage and design them.

"You and I are living in a world where we're going to have to move

from simply conserving places to actually being proactive and

creating healthy places," says Jack Dangermond, president of Esri.

With the help of geographic information system (GIS) technology,

we are at the dawn of a new era in man's relationship with the

environment. As we move from simply conserving and preserving

our natural spaces to actively managing and designing them, we

are redefining what it means to be masters of our environment.

—Matt Artz, Esri

Introduction

http://blogs.esri.com/esri/esri-insider/author/Jack-9/

http://www.esri.com/

http://www.esri.com/what-is-gis

http://blogs.esri.com/esri/esri-insider/author/mattartz/

4Creating a National Park from the Bottom UpStewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

Creating a National Park from the Bottom UpThe Democratic Republic of Congo's Lomami National Park and GIS

Three rivers surround 40,000 square kilometers of mysterious

forest in the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR

Congo). Until very recently, it was unexplored. It has no airstrips;

its paths are without bridges. No four-wheel vehicles can come

even to the sparse settlements, which are limited to the area's

periphery. In 2007, an expedition—made up of conservationists

with experience from exploration and wildlife inventory in other

parts of DR Congo—entered this forest situated between the

basins of the Tshuapa, Lomami, and Lualaba Rivers. The TL2

project, as it is now known, was led by Lukuru Foundation

researchers John and Terese Hart, who set out to survey large

mammals and human activity and now are promoting the creation

of a protected area in this, one of the world's last unexplored

tropical forests.

The TL2 project mission is to build effective conservation, from

a village base to national administration. It is a locally based

project, built on the diplomatic and field experience of the Harts

and a cadre of Congolese field biologists with whom they had

worked on previous projects. More and more local people have

joined the project, bringing the advantage of long experience in

the forests, languages, and cultures of the TL2. Their combined

observation and diplomatic skills are critical for the scale of

coverage and tying results together to give the products

needed for enduring conservation. Since 2007, these teams have

The lesula monkey (Cercopithecus lomamiensis), a new species of monkey documented by TL2 project researchers in the middle of Lomami National Park.

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 5Creating a National Park from the Bottom Up

surveyed the forest by walking over 5,000 kilometers of compass-

directed inventory tracks.

From the beginning of their surveys, the Harts sought GIS

support to explore; document; and, eventually, define the area for

conservation. An innovative partnership was developed in 2007

with Canadian Ape Alliance, a nongovernmental organization

based in Toronto, Canada. Nick January, a volunteer GIS

application specialist with the alliance, directs the collaboration

with Lukuru's TL2 project through an Esri Conservation Grant,

which has been generously supported since 2005. Fully

equipped with multiple ArcGIS for Desktop, ArcGIS Spatial

Analyst extension, and ArcPad licenses, the Harts are now able

to capitalize on an existing mapping system that documents,

stores, analyzes, and provides end products in support of their

conservation efforts.

The development of an accurate and comprehensive basemap—

an essential tool—was a daunting challenge. How could the

TL2 teams accurately map a proposed protected area in such a

remote and inaccessible region of central Africa?

It quickly became apparent that the available data was inaccurate

and would have limited use for the scale of the TL2 project.

For DR Congo, digital basemap data was restricted to widely

distributed, publicly available national shapefiles (including

transport, vegetation cover, river networks, political boundaries,

protected areas, and elevation data). To successfully delimit

the newly explored area, an early focus for the TL2 GIS was a

complete overhaul of local geospatial data for the basemap.

GPS field data from multiple reconnaissance surveys was being

rapidly collected and added to a growing volume of TL2 data

(spreadsheets, databases, KML files, field notes). This stream

of invaluable data was collected on the comprehensive and

collaborative Lukuru/Canadian Ape Alliance GIS platform for TL2.

The TL2 contributors learned a routine for documenting, storing,

maintaining, editing, and analyzing the geospatial data so that

final cartographic products would become more sophisticated

and precise for what had recently been unexplored, inaccessible

forest.

As TL2 field data became available, January worked on creating

a more reliable basemap. To eventually get a delimited map

of the proposed protected area, all map features needed to

be digitized, including river networks, villages, and roads that

had long since turned into footpaths. These were logical park

boundaries. This background work included the use of Arc Hydro

to create watersheds and drainage patterns, the incorporation

of GPS field data to accurately map settlements, and the use of

satellite imagery to further confirm location accuracy and content.

Older maps and legal documents were used to correctly lay out

internal political boundaries.

The Esri Conservation Grant expanded as the TL2 project added

staff and ArcGIS expertise. Esri's technical and administrative


support from both US and Canadian offices became critical

to the GIS operation. Not only was a smooth integration and

analysis of volumes of field data from a variety of sources

possible but so too was a seamless transfer to web-based

platforms, such as ArcGIS Online. With Esri software licenses and

training materials, it was possible to have multiple installations

under dispersed field working environments despite many

hardware malfunctions.

In five years, the TL2 project has made important progress

toward establishment of Lomami National Park. Exploration has

led to the definition of boundaries for the remote park; these

are delimited through the incorporation of GIS technology and

Esri support. Surveys have resulted in previously undocumented

populations of bonobo chimpanzees, okapis, elephants, monkeys,

and Congo peacocks. One of the most important discoveries of

the TL2 project has been the documentation and confirmation of

a new monkey species living in the park area, the lesula monkey

(Cercopithecus lomamiensis), an event that garnered international

attention for the species, as well as Lomami National Park.

Once the park is officially established, the TL2 project will

continue to monitor wildlife populations and hunting in the

region. It will conduct conservation outreach programs in town

centers, villages, and state capitals. The project will also train

local people and students to protect, monitor, and promote

conservation in Lomami National Park and in the DR Congo

overall. With collaboration from the Congolese parks authority,

Proposed Lomami National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo.


outside experts will be able to visit and experience this

extraordinary region and continue its exploration, documentation,

and preservation.

For more information, visit bonoboincongo.com or

www.great-apes.com.

(This article originally appeared in the Winter 2012/2013 issue of ArcNews.)

http://www.bonoboincongo.com/

http://www.great-apes.com/

8Where the Wild Things Are in Yellowstone ParkStewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

The human history of the Yellowstone region can be traced

back to an undesignated time in tribal oral history more than

11,000 years ago, when many groups of Native Americans

used the park as their home, hunting ground, and source for

gathering medicinal plants. These traditional uses of Yellowstone

lands continued until the first explorers and trappers of

European descent found their way into the region, recounting

tales of a bountiful land full of natural wonders where "fire

and brimstone" gushed up from the ground. In March 1872,

President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law a congressional

act making Yellowstone the first national park in the world, an

area so extraordinary that it was set aside and protected in

perpetuity for the enjoyment of future generations. Thanks to its

early designation and protection, Yellowstone is one of the few

remaining intact large ecosystems in the northern temperate

zone of the earth.

In recent years, managing these ecosystems has become

increasingly challenging. Drought, wildfire, habitat fragmentation,

contaminants, invasive species, disease, and a rapidly changing

climate have begun to threaten human populations, as well as

native species and their habitats. To plan for this uncertainty, a

dedicated group of ecologists is using ArcGIS, statistical analyses,

Where the Wild Things Are in Yellowstone ParkA Science-Based Approach to Collaborative Decision Making at Ecosystem Scales

The greater Yellowstone ecosystem.

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 9Where the Wild Things Are in Yellowstone Park

and a GeoDesign workflow to measure the impact of potential

land-use change before it happens.

Ecological Forecasting

The Yellowstone Ecological Research Center (YERC), a private,

nonprofit organization located in Montana, spends much of its

time conducting long-term, large-scale, collaborative ecological

research and education in concert with both public and private

organizations. Historically, that work has relied heavily on ArcGIS

to help organize, analyze, and visualize data on the health and

status of native species and the land and water that sustain them.

Simulating ecological system dynamics is a complex undertaking.

The sheer volume, variety, and complexity of geospatial

data have grown exponentially in recent years, requiring the

development of new tools and efficient workflows to help

decision makers spend more time on the issues without having

to sort through data. More importantly, decision makers need

to be able to synthesize this data into standardized, transparent,

and defensible information to support the management needs of

today while preparing for the needs of tomorrow. And that means

having a repeatable process, a core tenet of scientific inquiry.

To support the entire process of ecological forecasting, YERC

ecologists, statisticians, and GIS analysts created the Ecosystem

Assessment, Geospatial Analysis and Landscape Evaluation

System, known as EAGLES, which is essentially GeoDesign at an

ecosystem scale. EAGLES is an integrative workflow architecture

that organizes vast amounts of historic spatial data, some

covering the entire United States, with modeling routines to

create predictive ecosystem and species models. ArcGIS is a key

component of EAGLES, providing a mapping platform to make

the data easily understandable to decision makers.

The workflow begins with the assembly of experts having

a strong knowledge of the organism of interest, including

physiological drivers, feeding habits, predator/prey relationships,

competitive interactions, and habitat. Additionally, this effort can

integrate pathogens, parasites, or other hazards. These experts

When all data is referenced in a common coordinate system, the referential link gives the scientist or manager the ability to investigate all the various interdependencies of a single point to all other data, increasing the efficiency and quality of the inquiry.


help develop a conceptual model of key issues and management

objectives. The conceptual modeling process begins with a

verbal description of important relationships between the species

of interest and its environment. The verbal description is then

used to help select a set of hypothetical drivers to be considered

for inclusion in the model. The environmental variables (i.e.,

covariates) and their relationship to the species of interest (i.e.,

response data) are referred to as a narrative model using a mind

map.

The Case of the Pronghorn Antelope

For example, the Yellowstone pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra

americana) faces a suite of risks characteristic of small populations

with geographic/demographic isolation, low abundance, and low

recruitment. Decision makers need a management plan based on

demographic monitoring of abundance, especially species vitality

rates. This study focused on demographic monitoring, especially

recruitment and survival; ecological interactions, especially

predation rates and recruitment; and habitat assessment.

One of the park's pronghorn antelope.

(Photo courtesy of Hamilton Greenwood.)

A mind map is a quick way to display potential factors affecting variation in a focal species response, for example, the health and vitality of a population. The mind map could be based on present-day data or legacy datasets, either of which helps visualize the narrative model, which can get rather complex. The narrative model will eventually be used to create a quantitative model to support statistical analytics, which occur later in the workflow.


The issue assessment resulted in the creation of two narrative

models, one representing birthing arenas and another for

resource selection (involving the identification and use of viable

habitats). In this case, species vitality could be explained by

forage availability, predator intensity, geophysical context, and

climatic variables. For example, the more rain, the more food,

and the more newborns, the healthier the population might

become.

Information Needs

Once the narrative models have been created, the next step is

the identification and gathering of relevant datasets that could

answer questions regarding road impacts, predator impacts,

and range condition impacts on pronghorn antelope. A few of

these datasets are elevation, topographic complexity, land cover,

predation, and distance to roads.

The map displays a portion of the original resource (RSPF) model showing predicted habitat use for pronghorn in Yellowstone National Park. The Swap tool was used to apply the resource model to a hypothetical road addition (shown in green).

The new prognostic RSPF model output for pronghorn indicates that pronghorn would be excluded from portions of their original selected habitats.


In the case of the pronghorn antelope study, the species

observations included 762 telemetry fixes from 26 collared

animals from May to July of 2005. The spatial extent of the

analysis was defined by this data in combination with expert

knowledge of known habitat use. The spatial resolution for

all environmental data was a 100-meter grid produced by

resampling the data as appropriate.

Analysts used various modeling techniques to create forage,

herbaceous, sage, soil, and cumulative net primary production

(NPP) layers (i.e., process models). Additional models using

empirical field data created coyote and wolf intensity of use

and small mammal biomass layers. Finally, available space

layers were created using one-kilometer buffers around each

pronghorn location in which points were randomly generated

over that space to simulate potential habitat use. Since the spatial

scale at which pronghorn select their habitat was unknown, this

process was repeated at three kilometers and five kilometers for

comparative analysis.

Examining Alternative Futures—Ecological Forecasting

EAGLES has a tool called the Swap tool that enables users to

build alternative scenarios (i.e., change models) using an already

constructed model and change only one attribute while holding

all else constant to examine the effects of that change on the

model. This approach allows a transparent investigation of

the changes in levels of treatments, such as geophysical layer

alterations, changes in forage availability, or more sophisticated

modeled input layer substitutions. The goal is to apply a model

that previously "fit" to observed data for a potential scenario in

an effort to make projections about the ecological ramifications

of a given landscape change (i.e., impact models).

For example, a forecast about the impact of building a new

road through a habitat would rely on the input of a new layer

that contains the proposed road. The user can then apply the

fitted resource model to the new road layer (instead of the

original layer) and view the response surface under the changed

landscape. Such projections allow a measured assessment of

habitat change. Visualization of the resultant surface occurs in

GIS, and the resultant equations and models can be examined

statistically, as well. The intent is to provide a utility for planning

for landscape change.

Humans with Nature

The benefit of the EAGLES toolset is that it streamlines the

finding, compilation, and integration of data by allowing the user

to identify the geospatial data inputs, region of interest, scale,

and a common data resolution—even a temporal resolution—

to make it easier to assemble available national datasets into

a common georeferenced coordinate system using ArcGIS.

Applying such a workflow to standardized datasets across the

United States would help propel the adoption of GeoDesign.


Finding solutions to major ecological challenges will require new

ways of thinking. It is no longer humans against nature or humans

in nature—it is humans with nature. Whether it's Yellowstone's

pronghorn antelope, grizzly bear populations, or the collapse of

Pacific Northwest salmon runs, science and GIS have lifted each

of these issues—and many others like them—from subjective

opinion and polarization to a place where decisions can be made

based on facts.

For more information about the Yellowstone Ecological Research

Center, visit www.yellowstoneresearch.org.

For more information on how to put GeoDesign into practice,

visit esri.com/products/technology-topics/geodesign.

(This article originally appeared in the Winter 2011/2012 issue of ArcNews.)

http://www.yellowstoneresearch.org/

http://www.esri.com/products/technology-topics/geodesign

14Afghans Work to Preserve Band-e-Amir National Park HabitatsStewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

Maps created using GIS technology are being used to identify

wildlife habitats to protect and other sensitive areas to conserve

in Afghanistan, including places such as Band-e-Amir, the

country's first national park.

Band-e-Amir is a chain of six deep lakes, situated in a desert area

high in the Hindu Kush mountains. They are separated by mineral

deposits of white travertine limestone and lie like a jeweled

necklace on a woven rug.

With the changing light and moving mountain shadows, these

lakes range in color from faint turquoise to intense shades of blue,

and their placid glass surfaces mirror the surrounding peaks. Ibex

(wild goats) and urial (wild sheep) can be seen roaming along the

red cliffs. Afghan snow finches also make the area their home.

Afghanistan's government declared Band-e-Amir, which is one of

the most spectacular travertine systems in the world, a national

park on Earth Day in 2009. The Wildlife Conservation Society

(WCS), funded by the United States Agency for International

Development (USAID), played a strategic role in working with

Afghanistan's citizens and agencies to open the park, which draws

Afghan tourists who swim in the lakes and rent paddleboats.

WCS uses ArcGIS for Desktop to develop sustainable resource

management plans for the park and other areas throughout the

country.

For example, ArcGIS was used to create maps of habitats for ibex,

wild cats, and snow leopards. The technology was also used to

create a map of biologically significant wetlands and important

bird habitats, including proposed protected areas. One of

the important bird areas that was identified and mapped was

Band-e-Amir.

Afghans Work to Preserve Band-e-Amir National Park HabitatsGIS Technology Plays a Role in the Conservation Quest

Six deep lakes comprise Band-e-Amir, which became Afghanistan's first protected national park on Earth Day in 2009.

http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcgis-for-desktop

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 15Afghans Work to Preserve Band-e-Amir National Park Habitats

A Hard Sell

In 2011, the country continued expanding its environmental

protection policies, which is extraordinary because conservation

has not been part of Afghan cultural thinking. This foreign

concept has been a hard sell, especially when 80 percent of

the population's livelihood is tied to natural resources, such

as rangeland, which is used for pasture, and shrubs and

timber, which are used for fuel. War has made matters worse

by displacing millions of people who have been forced to find

shelter, fuel, and food while on the move. Forests have been cut

down to obtain wood for fuel, grasslands have been degraded,

and soils have blown away. In a country fraught with so many

problems, the establishment of a national park is phenomenal.

Building a GIS

WCS consults with Afghanistan's National Environmental

Protection Agency, central and local governments, and

communities to brainstorm about issues, develop concepts,

and build the country's capacity to protect and restore the

environment.

In 2006, WCS worked with a team of local citizens to gather

terrain, habitat, and species data for a database; process that

data in GIS; and create maps to help them better understand and

address the country's environmental needs.

Muhammad Ayub Alavi, a geologist born in Bamyan Province

who works as a WCS conservation specialist in Band-e-Amir,

explains how GIS supports conservation plans for his country.

"We are using GIS to analyze habitat, ecoregions, and wildlife

populations. The government sanctioned us to create the

first protected area system plan for the country. GIS shows

information that lays the general foundation for our work for the

next 25 years, which is outlined in our system plan. We have used

Habitat maps, such as this one that shows the location of important bird areas and biologically significant wetlands in Afghanistan, are used by the Wildlife Conservation Society to prioritize the entire surface of Afghanistan and designate areas that should be protected.

(Photos and map courtesy Muhammad Ayub Alavi.)


it to prioritize the entire country's surface and designate areas

that should be protected."

To do this, the GIS team developed and ran different types of

models to show where goats and large cats live and migrate and

the land that Afghans use for farming and grazing their animals.

This helped policy makers and scientists better understand the

needs of both humans and wildlife.

Conservation projects are limited by resources, ownership, and

government goals, so WCS needed to focus its efforts, taking

on one project at a time. Therefore, WCS and scientists assigned

values to criteria that helped them decide where to concentrate

their efforts. The most important criterion was the variety of

species an area could support. Each ecoregion has a distinctive

composition and pattern of species distribution because of the

area's soil, water, climate, and landforms.

Elevations in the Afghan landscape change rapidly, and that

affects water, soil, land, and climate. Therefore, the habitats in

the country's ecoregions can contain a wider range of vegetation

and wildlife species than, say, a flat expanse of desert. The team

assigned priority ratings to the areas that had the widest ranges

of biodiversity within the ecoregions of high mountain desert,

plain desert, or alpine and sabal pine forest land cover.

Another prioritizing criterion was the endangerment categories

assigned to certain animals that roam Afghanistan. At the top of

the list is the Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon polii), which is the

largest mountain sheep in the world. The snow leopard was also

high on the WCS priority list.

WCS used ArcGIS for Desktop to calculate and rank ecosystems

and show these areas on maps. Because the maps were going to

be used as the foundation for discussing with stakeholders what

areas to conserve, WCS experts also factored in security, logistics,

budget, and history.

When government policy makers were presented with these

findings, they agreed to implement conservation plans at three

major sites. First was the Wakhan Corridor, which is part of the

Silk Road network between Afghanistan and China. Second

was the Hazarajat Plateau, where Band-e-Amir National Park is

located. Third was the Eastern Forest Complex, which contains

The Eastern Forest Complex, home to snow leopards and several other wild cat species, is a conservation priority.


some of the last temperate coniferous forest in the Greater

Himalayan mountain range. It is home to the snow leopard and

at least five other wild cat species. GIS was extensively used

by researchers to analyze change, classify forest cover, and

demonstrate forest degradation in that area.

The national government sanctioned Band-e-Amir as a national

park, but it is up to the local people to manage it. With funding

from USAID, WCS is working with citizens to develop the park's

management plan and train rangers and game wardens. WCS

has also implemented an environmental education program

for schools and works with local communities and central and

provincial governments to ensure that wildlife and forestry

protection policies are being developed and enforced.

For more information about Esri technology for managing,

analyzing, and mapping wildlife data, visit esri.com/conservation.

(This article originally appeared in the Spring 2012 issue of ArcNews.)

http://www.esri.com/industries/conservation

18When Every Second CountsStewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

The Yosemite Search and Rescue team and Chief Ranger Steve

Shackelton of Yosemite National Park were selected to receive a

Special Achievement in GIS award this year.

GIS has helped the Yosemite Search and Rescue (YOSAR) team

improve its methods of operation and has been used successfully

in searches for missing persons in Yosemite National Park.

Every year, three million visitors come to Yosemite National

Park to enjoy the outdoors. One of the nation's greatest travel

destinations, Yosemite provides camping, fishing, hiking, and

other activities for guests to enjoy. While most visitors have

the time of their lives, a few face the frightening prospect of

becoming disoriented or getting injured while hiking the park's

many trails.

Each year, Yosemite National Park responds to hundreds of calls

reporting missing persons. Most often, a lost hiker or vacationer

is found during the first 24 hours. However, when someone

is missing for more than 24 hours, multiple search teams are

dispatched. Search and rescue operations require a significant,

coordinated effort on the ground and in the air. For these

incidents, the National Park Service calls on YOSAR, a team of

specialists.

YOSAR is a group of park rangers, technical climbers, helicopter

pilots, and incident management staff who are directed by

Keith Lober, the emergency services coordinator for Yosemite

National Park.

When Every Second CountsYosemite Uses GIS for Coordinating Search and Rescue Operations

By Jesse Theodore, Esri Writer

YOSAR's skilled search and rescue operators are reknown for their ability to make backcountry extractions of injured hikers and perform climbing rescues off of "big walls," such as El Capitan. In this photo, a rescuer and the partner of a rescued climber are pulled from Big Sandy Ledge on the face of Half Dome.

(Photo by David Pope.)

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 19When Every Second Counts

These skilled search and rescue operators are known around

the world for their ability to make backcountry extractions of

injured hikers; perform climbing rescues off of "big walls," such

as El Capitan; search for missing hikers; and respond to multi-

casualty incidents. They work primarily in the park, but are

requested by mutual aid management teams throughout the

country.

Once activated, YOSAR assembles and deploys ground, technical,

canine, and air units and manages the entire incident response

process. Managing complex emergency situations requires rapid

response capability that ensures a comprehensive, coordinated

search is carried out in the fastest possible time frame.

Expanding GIS at Yosemite

Paul Doherty, a park ranger and GIS specialist for the National

Park Service, was hired in May 2008 to establish GIS support

specifically for search and rescue operations.

"Once I settled in and started working, the GIS needs in the

Protection Division were evident and the opportunity to get

involved was very exciting," said Doherty.

The National Park Service has successfully used GIS in its

Resource Management and Science Division, as well as in

its response to wildland fires. Protection Division chief Steve

Shackelton envisions applying the same technology and

services to all branches of emergency response (i.e., search and

A helicopter rescue technician rappels from Yosemite's contract helicopter H-551.



rescue, law enforcement, disaster management, and structural

fire) in the park.

Managing a Complex Operation

Missing person incidents are common in Yosemite. When a hiker

is missing or overdue, it requires an initial response known as

a "hasty search." These searches are carried out in the first 24

hours in the immediate vicinity where the lost person was last

seen. Trail blocks are established to interview possible witnesses

and gather information on hiking conditions.

If the person is not found quickly, a large search area of

1–40 square miles is drawn on a map. This area is segmented to

create smaller search assignments, and a comprehensive search

and rescue case is created.

Finding a missing person in the wilderness is a complex process.

Maps are at the core of this process. Incident managers and field

teams want to know the coordinates where the person was last

seen to determine where they should begin the search. They also

want to know about the surrounding landscape so they can safely

and efficiently locate, stabilize, and extract victims as quickly as

possible.

These search and rescue operations, managed under the Incident

Command System, can increase in complexity very quickly.

YOSAR members are adept at implementing modern search

theory as well as using lessons learned from previous searches.

In 2008, YOSAR wanted to use GIS to quickly and easily print

accurate assignment maps that teams would use in the field. To

provide more information about the landscape before teams go

into the field, these maps use vector layers and raster imagery.

In the past, the mapping component of a search required

using hard-copy, outdated 7.5-minute quadrangle (quad) maps,

transparent Mylars, erasable markers, and—on occasion—limited

mapping software.

"It was difficult to keep things organized," said Doherty. "Hard-

copy maps and forms are difficult to update and properly archive."

Rescuers carry an injured climber to an awaiting helicopter.



Search teams would sketch their assignments on their maps using

erasable markers, a process that had the potential to increase

error. Because YOSAR staff members were open to innovation,

Doherty could implement novel GIS techniques that have

changed how YOSAR operates.

Maps, Data, and Accountability

Doherty built a solid GIS platform for preparation, response,

and the postevent analysis of rescue operations, employing

ArcGIS Desktop (specifically ArcInfo and the ArcGIS 3D Analyst

and ArcGIS Network Analyst extensions). The first priority

was coordinating existing GIS resources at the park to build

databases and processes that could be activated at a moment's

notice.

With GIS in place at YOSAR, Doherty and staff can now

• Supply accurate field maps with search segments outlined.

• Provide aerial imagery and elevation data.

• Show hazards and terrain patterns.

• Record GPS tracks from field teams.

• Load search assignments onto GPS units.

• Build an assignment database to track team deployments.

• Show probability of detection (POD) [the probability of the

missing person being detected, assuming that person was

present in the segment searched].

• Depict probability of person in area (POA) [chances that the

missing person is in the area being searched].

• Plot the locations of known helicopter landing zones.

• Plot the locations of clues as they are discovered.

• Determine observer/communication tower line of sight.

• Generate briefing maps.

A myriad of data is built and maintained by the National Park

Service and the YOSAR GIS team. This includes vector data for

roads, streams, trails, park buildings, vegetation, and helispot

locations. Raster data includes digital elevation models (DEMs),

which supply a three-dimensional surface with topographic

features; digital raster graphics (DRGs), which are high-quality

scanned images of U.S. Geological Survey quad maps that

provide contour lines and detailed terrain information; and 2005

National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) aerial imagery.

During a search incident, Doherty works with YOSAR search

incident data to generate additional data such as search area

polygons; search segments/assignments; clues (i.e., point last

seen, footprints, litter, and trail interviews); viewshed analyses;

and GPS tracks from helicopters, ground crews, and dog teams.


GIS Gets the Job Done

With each new search operation carried out by YOSAR since

the adoption of GIS in 2008, GIS has become more of a key

component.

The successful search for Esmin Garmendia illustrates the many

uses of GIS by YOSAR. Garmendia, a 23-year-old man who had

visited the park with friends, left the parking area and ventured

into the woods alone. He was last seen by his friends at about

3:00 p.m. on June 8, 2008. Garmendia's friends returned from

their hike, but when he did not appear after some time, he was

reported as a missing person. Soon a full YOSAR operation was

under way.

At a planning meeting, searchers examined where Garmendia

was last seen and where he might have gone. DEM, trail, stream,

and vegetation data, as well as local knowledge, was used

to generate an appropriate search area. The search area was

segmented into manageable and clearly identifiable subsections

to ensure a new search area would be covered by ground teams,

dog teams, and helicopters each day.

GIS was used to determine where to place teams in the field.

Using the same layers that were used to predict Garmendia's

travel, teams were strategically placed to best cover their

assigned terrain and ensure that the maximum search area was

sufficiently covered.

For example, YOSAR used slope data from a DEM of the park

to assign technical teams to areas having a slope of more than

45 degrees and dog-assisted ground teams to safer, flatter

terrain. In the past, YOSAR staff read the contours on standard

quadrangle maps and estimated slope of the terrain. However,

with this objective tool for determining slope, decision makers

could spend time on other operational, planning, and logistical

functions.

Paul Doherty, a park ranger and GIS specialist for the National Park Service, was hired in May 2008 to establish GIS support specifically for search and rescue operations.

(Photo by Tom Patterson.)


Next, a briefing was held to communicate search and rescue

operation plans to all teams and individuals involved. Incident

action plan (IAP) maps were generated to show possible

search areas and list objectives. These 8.5" x 11" maps contain

metadata such as map scale, title, author, and the date the data

was generated. These maps included the point location where

Garmendia was last seen; search buffer zones (created using GIS

analysis); and topography generated by overlaying DRGs, DEMs,

and imagery layers.

Search teams were then deployed. GPS and other data was

captured in the field and sent back to the incident command

post. Updated maps were generated to reflect where resources

were sent, how the search was progressing, and what evidence

(if any) was collected and where it was found. Previous manual

tracking methods using paper maps lacked any type of objective

data capture and required scanning to archive the information in

a digital format.

Incident briefing maps were used during daily meetings. These

paper maps were 24" x 36" and included data from debriefing

forms as well as any significant clues from the clue log. The maps

showed hazards for new searches in the field, such as cliffs and

steep drainages and dense vegetation, and any updates from the

previous day's operations. Numerically labeled polygons showed

areas that had yet to be searched. These polygons were overlaid

with data on trails, rivers, and other physical features.

The incident command staff were briefed with maps that

showed all areas that were actually searched the previous day

and where the new search teams would operate over the next

24 hours. Field teams were provided with new IAPs and 8.5" x 11"

assignment maps the next day. These maps included additional

information such as declination, a Universal Transverse Mercator

(UTM) grid in the correct local datum (North American Datum

of 1983), significant landmarks, hazards, and search segment

boundaries.

ArcMap project screen shot of the Garmendia search segments, a "clue" database, status of search segments, and Yosemite National Park base data used to create search assignments.

(Map by Paul Doherty.)


GIS helped during all phases of the Garmendia search operation,

which encompassed nearly 23 square miles. It helped coordinate

more than 190 ground, helicopter, and dog teams. Fortunately

for this hiker, Yosemite had a helicopter available for aerial

observation throughout the entire operation. After three days of

search and rescue operations, a helicopter located Garmendia

from the air. He was found safe and healthy, despite his arduous

ordeal.

GIS provided an information platform to map operations,

update information, and improve decision making. GIS methods

enhanced YOSAR operations through

• Supplanting old paper maps and hand-written notes with

digital data capture, management, analysis, and dissemination

• Supplying a standard for measuring or quantifying

search variables versus simply supplying map images or

approximating map polygons

• Helping document exactly where resources were directed and

where to change actions as needed in a real-time search

"GIS supplies powerful tools, but it will not direct a search," said

Doherty. "It does not replace the institutional knowledge of

veteran search managers and never will. It does, however, allow

us to take advantage of analyses that are far more useful than

simple hard-copy maps. It helps us perform a search more

efficiently, with enhanced team safety, and with a greater

probability of returning victims to their loved ones."

Doherty is looking forward to continually expanding the use

of GIS in search and rescue during his career with YOSAR and

collaborating with incident management teams around the globe

who are interested in utilizing GIS.

In less than a year, YOSAR's geospatial platform has been used

successfully in half a dozen searches. From the peak visitor

season in summer to the cold and icy conditions in winter, this

ArcMap project screen shot of the Garmendia search segments, a "clue" database, status of search segments, and Yosemite National Park base data used to create search assignments.

(Map by Paul Doherty.)


platform provides an information-based method for outlining

initial search strategies, helps refine the exploration as time

progresses, and keeps information continuously flowing from the

field to the incident command post and back again. Everyone

operates using the same accurate data, which helps find the

missing person as quickly as possible. In search and rescue

operations, this can mean the difference between life and death.

(This article originally appeared in the Summer 2009 issue of ArcUser Online.)

26From Maps to GeoDesignStewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) has been very interested in the

evolution of the new field of GeoDesign, which offers the vision

and the infrastructure to bring people, disciplines, data, and

technology together to not only better describe landscapes but

also develop more successful conservation strategies and actions.

One practical application of GeoDesign has been the successful

use of geospatial and conservation sciences to inform decisions

in the Greater Gombe Ecosystem in Tanzania. JGI greatly

improved village land use in this very sociopolitically difficult

and historic setting. We were successful not only because of

the technology we employed but also because the JGI staff

understood human values and decision-making processes that

influence landscape change in that particular region. We learned

that helping develop the region (e.g., through working together

to provide clean water sources, among many projects) opened

the door to communities and motivated them to "buy in" to our

efforts, creating a window of opportunity to apply conservation

science to threatened ecological systems. Some of these

programs are discussed in detail below.

At the core of JGI's applied conservation science program

is using geography as a common framework to support our

projects in Africa by connecting people, their values and

activities, and conservation data and developing a shared

understanding and vision of landscapes and how they should

be changed. This in turn enables us to implement, monitor, and

measure the success of those changes for both human and

chimpanzee livelihoods.

We Need to Make More Enlightened Decisions

Time is running out for many endangered species, including our

closest living relatives, chimpanzees. Chimpanzee and human

From Maps to GeoDesignConserving Great Ape Landscapes in Africa

By Lilian Pintea, Africa Programs, The Jane Goodall Institute

Jane Goodall with Freud.

(Courtesy of The Jane Goodall Institute.)

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 27From Maps to GeoDesign

populations are part of the same life support system, embedded

in ecological systems that are intimately linked and dependent

upon ecosystem services to survive. Unsustainable uses of natural

resources by humans result in loss of those ecosystem services,

with negative consequences for both chimpanzee and human

livelihoods. The fundamental problem is that, despite advances

in science and technology, we have not yet developed the

methodologies to apply these to conservation and make more

enlightened decisions about how to achieve a better balance

between environmental and economic results.

Fifty years ago, on July 14, 1960, Jane Goodall stepped for the

first time onto the shores of Lake Tanganyika and, through her

groundbreaking discoveries about chimpanzees in what is now

Gombe National Park in Tanzania, opened a new window to the

natural world and to ourselves. This unique long-term research

continues today with daily chimpanzee data collected by the

JGI Gombe Stream Research Center and digitized, stored, and

analyzed at the Jane Goodall Center at Duke University.

GIS and Imagery for Clearer Understanding

GIS has been used to georeference and digitize hundreds of

thousands of chimpanzee behavior locations and analyze ranging

and feeding patterns and relations with habitat characteristics

as detected by remote-sensing and field surveys. The use of

geospatial data for chimpanzee research was straightforward.

Spatial tools and variables derived from GIS and remote sensing

were directly used as part of research collaborations to test

hypotheses. For example, a vegetation map derived from

4-meter IKONOS imagery helped demonstrate that chimpanzee

hunts on colobus monkeys are more likely to occur and succeed

in woodland and semideciduous forest than in evergreen forest,

emphasizing the importance of visibility and prey mobility. JGI

also worked with the Tanzania National Parks to improve the

management of the park by using geospatial technology to

visualize habitat change, map the park boundary, and support the

development of the Gombe National Park Management Plan.

In addition to continuing Jane Goodall's pioneering research,

JGI has been accumulating decades of experience and practical

knowledge outside protected areas on how to successfully

engage local communities and decision makers in the sustainable

use of their natural resources. While the technology to map

land cover inside and outside Gombe National Park was mostly

the same, the way geospatial information was used to inform

decisions was very different.

The use of geospatial information to inform decisions outside the

park has been more complex. Gombe National Park was created

in 1968. The park inherited a history of conflict with the local

communities that started in 1943 when the colonial government

established for the first time Gombe Stream Game Reserve. In

1994, JGI began working with the local communities outside

Gombe through the Lake Tanganyika Catchment Reforestation

and Education (TACARE, pronounced "take care") project to


seek ways of arresting the rapid degradation of natural resources.

TACARE project staff quickly learned that community buy-in

was essential for success. Therefore, the TACARE project added

agriculture, health, social infrastructure, community development,

and clean water components to the range of interventions it

employed. These interventions initially focused mostly on areas

close to village centers.

However, forest change detection using Landsat imagery from

1972 and 1999 showed that most chimpanzee habitats outside

the park had been in areas away from the village centers and

almost 80 percent of it converted to farmland and oil palm

plantations. Remote-sensing and GIS analysis led to a landscape

approach by focusing conservation efforts geographically

on areas away from village centers and on forest patches

with the most benefits to chimpanzees. In 2005, adopting

the recommendations obtained through analysis of satellite

imagery and with funds from the US Agency for International

Development (USAID) and other donors, JGI and its partners

embarked on a five-year Greater Gombe Ecosystem (GGE)

project.

A Conservation Action Plan approach was developed to identify

and prioritize conservation strategies. Village land-use planning

was identified as one of the top strategies. GIS was used to

overlay deforestation layers, historic distribution of chimpanzees

and habitats, slope, footpaths, roads, streams, watersheds,

density of human structures, and 60-centimeter QuickBird

imagery to prioritize a conservation area that, if protected, would

substantially increase the viability of chimpanzees inside and

outside the park and stabilize the watersheds to support human

livelihoods.

Participatory village land-use plans were prepared by the

communities according to Tanzanian laws and with full

involvement of government and community stakeholders. JGI

facilitated the process and provided technical support, including

maps and geospatial tools to record and manage spatial data.

The planning process followed seven steps and required villagers

to settle any existing land disagreements and agree on village

boundaries and how land resources located within the villages

should be used to meet specific human livelihood needs and

environmental objectives.

At the end of the project in 2009, 13 villages within GGE

completed their participatory village land-use plans, which

became ratified by the Tanzanian government. Local communities

voluntarily assigned 9,690 hectares, or 26 percent, of their

village lands as Village Forest Reserves. These reserves

are interconnected across village boundaries to minimize

fragmentation and cover 68 percent of the priority conservation

area identified by the GGE Conservation Action Plan.

With renewed financial support from USAID, JGI and

partners are now engaged in facilitating community-based

organizations, developing bylaws and building local capacity


to implement these village land-use plans and restore and

manage newly established Village Forest Reserves. The plan is

to use DigitalGlobe imagery continuously to provide detailed

information on village land-cover change, such as increases in

forest cover in Kigalye Village Forest Reserve, and monitor both

new threats and conservation successes.

About the Author

Dr. Lilian Pintea brings more than 15 years of experience in

applying remote sensing and GIS to the job of protecting

chimpanzees and their vanishing habitats in Africa. As vice

president of conservation science at JGI, Pintea directs the

scientific department at the institute and conducts applied

conservation research in Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic

Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo.

See also "Harnessing the Power of Our GeoDesign Vision."

(This article originally appeared in the Summer 2011 issue of ArcNews.)

Participatory village land-use plans were prepared by the communities according to Tanzanian laws.

(Courtesy of The Jane Goodall Institute.)

http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/summer11articles/harnessing-the-power-of-our-geodesign-vision.html

30A Decade of SuccessStewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

A program developed by an Idaho school district encourages

students to use GIS skills to solve real-world problems. Teachers

in the Shelley School District have been using GIS technology

for a decade. The Solutions program developed by the district

exposes students to new technologies and skills that are valuable

in the problem-solving process.

Shelley School District is located about 20 miles from the Idaho

National Laboratory (INL), a national science laboratory. The

district's teachers were first introduced to GIS technology at

INL, and GIS was a natural fit for the Solutions program. Some

of the GIS projects students have worked on over the years

include using current census data to redistrict the school board

zones, creating maps for the City of Shelley showing fire hydrant

locations, and mapping noxious weeds for county and state weed

agencies.

Teachers like to involve students in both short-term projects and

longer-term projects. Short-term projects help students gain an

initial sense of accomplishment, which instills the confidence that

will be required for longer-term projects. Long-term projects

generally require higher skill levels but can be rewarding for

students who persevere.

As successful as these GIS projects have been, teachers were

concerned that too many students were passing up opportunities

to work with GIS projects, and many students involved in GIS

projects were learning advanced computer skills but lacked basic

A Decade of SuccessCombining Geospatial Technology and Problem-Solving SkillsBy Michael Winston, Shelley School District

A consortium of government agencies, weed control entities, watershed organizations, and interested citizens banded together to stop the spread of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) to Yellowstone Park.

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 31A Decade of Success

map-reading skills. As a result, the program was restructured.

Students are now introduced to mapmaking/map-reading skills at

a younger age. For example, students learn how to make simple

compasses, how to make maps, how to read topographic maps,

and how to use GPS technology in geocaching activities. This

introduction exposes more students to GIS and helps them pick

up basic skills.

One project, Holding the Line, is a capstone effort that

exemplifies the aspirations teachers have for effectively

incorporating GIS in the classroom. This project addressed the

slow spread of noxious weeds toward Yellowstone National

Park. Current weed control measures had not been effective in

preventing the spread of one weed in particular: leafy spurge

(Euphorbia esula). A consortium of government agencies,

weed control entities, watershed organizations, and interested

citizens banded together to stop the spread of leafy spurge to

Yellowstone Park.

Rebecca Schneiderhan, who has since graduated and has her

own GIS consulting business, was contracted to oversee the

distribution of four million beetles as part of a biological control

effort started more than 10 years ago. The beetles are effective

in controlling leafy spurge but harmless to native flora and fauna.

They are released at marked sites that have been studied for

years to determine how effective the beetles are in controlling

spurge. Schneiderhan was tasked with collecting two million

beetles from previous release sites, purchasing two million

additional beetles, then releasing all four million beetles in areas

adjacent to the Yellowstone Park boundaries. The beetles were

successfully collected, and released at target sites, and those

sites were mapped.

Much of the beetle collecting and mapping was done using

the services of Paul Muirbrook, an individual who established

a business that hires high school students and high school

graduates to perform various GIS/GPS tasks for local government

agencies. Schneiderhan was also assisted by a second grade

student who helped collect beetles and map the sites. These

sites will be monitored for the next five years to determine the Stopping the slow spread of leafy spurge toward Yellowstone National Park.

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 32A Decade of Success

effectiveness of the effort in preventing the spread of leafy

spurge.

This project is considered a capstone project for Shelley District's

GIS efforts because it provides opportunities to help solve real-

world problems and helps students of all ages develop multiple

skills. For example, students involved in this project learned

about plants (weeds), insects, Yellowstone Park, government

agency interactions, and how GPS and GIS technologies can

be used. It also provided employment opportunities for both

entrepreneurs and summer hires and helped build partnerships

between government agencies and schools.

In summary, Shelley School District's efforts to expose students

to GIS/GPS technologies have evolved over the years. The

district's teachers now attempt to introduce students to

mapmaking fundamentals at an early age and seek projects that

involve solving real-world problems, encouraging students to use

their skills in the solutions of those problems.

(This article originally appeared in ArcUser Online.)

33National Park Service Follows the Modern Lewis and Clark TrailStewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

The courage, determination, and adventure of the Lewis and

Clark Corps of Discovery have inspired many to follow its

pathway, just not in the same arduous way. Congress recognized

the importance of preserving the historic and nation-building

significance of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery journey.

In a series of legislative actions, Congress created the Lewis

and Clark National Historic Trail, an auto route that follows as

closely as possible the water route that the Corps of Discovery

traveled in 1804–1806. The 11 states, which Lewis and Clark

traversed, designated roads that parallel the actual route taken

as the auto route roads. The National Park Service (NPS) worked

with the individual states and made available the official signage

designating the auto route. Lewis and Clark followed one route

on their westward journey and slightly different routes on

their eastward return journey, thus creating routes that can be

followed with several different roads representing the westbound

and eastbound pathways.

In an effort to update, integrate, and computerize the auto route

and signage, as well as link the auto route to significant historic,

cultural, and landscape features, the National Park Service's Lewis

and Clark National Historic Trail group formed a partnership with

the Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center (WyGISC)

at the University of Wyoming to create a GIS database. The

objectives of the project were to construct an accurate location of

the auto route; locate and inventory existing Lewis and Clark auto

route signs; locate and categorize the significant historic, cultural,

and landscape features in close proximity to the auto route; and

National Park Service Follows the Modern Lewis and Clark TrailHistoric Trail Auto Route Road Signs Inventoried with GIS and GPSBy William J. Gribb, Geography Department, University of Wyoming

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail auto route extends from the plains to the Pacific.

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 34National Park Service Follows the Modern Lewis and Clark Trail

assess the way-finding capabilities of existing signage. To meet

these objectives and create a database that integrates with the

current NPS GIS configuration, a combination of ArcGIS Desktop,

Wind Image software, and Trimble's Pathfinder Office was used.

Working with the Lewis and Clark NPS group, the WyGISC team

identified initial U.S. Geological Survey 1:100,000-scale digital

line graph databases that could be incorporated to provide

the initial road and hydrology datasets. Census Bureau TIGER

files were included for state and county boundaries and the

location of the 1,431 places, towns, and cities the auto route

crosses. Four states had already produced accurate ArcGIS

Desktop compatible shapefiles; the remaining seven states

provided only hard-copy maps of the auto route. In the effort

to provide one consistent road base file, the Esri StreetMap

dataset was incorporated into the project and the auto route

layer adjusted to it. The project objective, however, was to

locate and inventory the road signs designating the route

and signs directing travelers along the route. To accomplish

this objective, the team completed a combination of location

and data coding using Trimble Pathfinder Pro XRS receivers

with data logger and a Ricoh Caplio 500SE GPS camera. The

location of each sign was recorded with the XRS unit along with

13 characteristics of the sign, including number and condition of

panels, and road characteristics. In addition, the team captured

high-resolution digital images of the sign and the surrounding

landscape with the Ricoh camera. To assist NPS with integrating

the auto route with significant cultural, historic, and landscape

features complementary to the Lewis and Clark journey, a total of

607 sites were also recorded using the GPS and digital images.

After 42 days of field data collection, the team needed several

months to edit the data and create a system to integrate the auto

route with the corrected sign locations and the digital images.

With Visual Basic for Applications, a script was developed that

created an identification system that linked the sign to the digital

image using a combination of route designation, date, and time.

This ID system allows NPS researchers to select a sign along the

auto route and access the attribute database about the sign, its

location, and condition and the digital images of the sign. The

same potential is available for all the cultural/historic/landscape

sites along the route. Overall, researchers will have access to

1,817 signs, 607 sites, and 10,295 images along the 6,885 miles

(11,080 km) of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail auto

route.

As part of the field collection data, the team captured the types

of signs and their conditions and effectiveness characteristics.

This allows NPS to not only create descriptive information about

all the signs but also provide the ability to query and produce

maps of the location of signs based on any of the attributes. For

instance, NPS can now determine which signs need repair or

maintenance because of vandalism or excessive wear or which

signs are obstructed by vegetation overgrowth or some other

barrier. This information provides a very cost-efficient means to

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 35National Park Service Follows the Modern Lewis and Clark Trail

determine the number of signs needing repair and their location

so the appropriate repair teams can schedule the needed action.

The digital imagery of the signs provides a mechanism to assess

the repairs without going into the field.

As part of the project, NPS wanted the capability to examine

and assess the distribution of the auto route signs. Using ArcGIS

Desktop analytic capabilities, the clustering of route signs at road

intersections and route turns can be examined to determine if the

correct combination of signs, densities, and distances is available

to direct the traveler along the auto route. In addition, the ability

to view the digital images allows NPS staff to assess the signage

along the route at potentially hazardous locations.

About the Author

William Gribb, Ph.D., is an associate professor and director of the

Graduate Program in Planning at the University of Wyoming and

an affiliate researcher at the university's Geographic Information

Science Center.

More Information

For more information, visit the Lewis and Clark National Historic

Trail Headquarters site at www.nps.gov/lecl/index.htm. Key

personnel for this project at the University of Wyoming's

Wyoming Geographic Information Science Cenater were

William J. Gribb, Scott Lieske, and Phil Polzer.

(This article originally appeared in the Fall 2010 issue of ArcNews.)

http://www.nps.gov/lecl/index.htm

36New Yellowstone Website Provides Interactive Maps on Volcanic ActivityStewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

The Yellowstone Plateau in northwestern Wyoming has a long

geologic history—earthquakes; expanding and retreating

glaciers; rising mountains; powerful geothermal explosions; and

cataclysmic volcanic eruptions, the most recent of which was the

Yellowstone Supervolcano, which erupted 640,000 years ago.

Today, the region is a geologic marvel, with one of the largest

remaining ecosystems in North America and the world's largest

concentration of geysers. More than six million visitors each year

travel to Yellowstone to experience its geologic forces. But how

can the Wyoming State Geological Survey (WSGS), charged with

providing knowledge on geology and energy resources in the

state, and with such an incredible testing ground like Yellowstone,

better reach a broad audience interested in learning about the

park's geologic past? How can the public better appreciate this

geologic wonderland? And what innovative web-based tools

can be used to showcase the park and provide knowledge on

its geologic history, a story so important to the creation of the

Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem?

WSGS created the Yellowstone Geologic GIS Database as an

interactive website, providing researchers and students alike with

a look into Yellowstone's geologic past and present.

GIS experts and geologists with WSGS and the United States

Geological Survey (USGS) collaborated to create a central portal,

or clearinghouse, of information on the volcanic eruptions and

New Yellowstone Website Provides Interactive Maps on Volcanic Activity

By Chamois Andersen, Communications and Public Outreach, Wyoming State Geological Survey

The map illustrates the geology, earthquakes, and hydrothermal areas that make up Yellowstone National Park. The website allows users to view layers ranging from past geologic events to satellite imagery, lake bathymetry, and volcano monitoring equipment in the park.

http://www.wsgs.uwyo.edu/Research/Yellowstone/

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 37New Yellowstone Website Provides Interactive Maps on Volcanic Activity

earthquakes that have created the Yellowstone landscape that

continues to evolve today.

This project involved first collecting and compiling data related to

Yellowstone's geologic past, including GIS datasets; unpublished

bedrock and surficial datasets and maps; and seismic catalogs,

field data, hydrologic data, and relevant earth science or cultural

datasets. These were provided by a variety of state and federal

entities and converted into standardized file types and common

databases, including shapefiles and KML files, as well as for a

geodatabase. The final step for implementation was to provide

the public with access to the data via the WSGS website, which

includes multiple downloadable formats for a wide array of users.

The GIS applications were created using the ArcGIS for Server

Web Application Developer Framework (ADF). This application

allows USGS and WSGS staff to update maps, graphs, and charts

with near real-time data. Scientists can use the data to create

figures and plots of real-time information on dynamic hazardous

conditions.

"The past and present geologic activity that continues to shape

and form Yellowstone is of great importance and interest to

scientists, policy makers, and the public," says Tom Drean, state

geologist and director of WSGS. "By creating and updating

this interactive website, we are providing past knowledge and

current information that can be easily accessed by anyone with an

interest in this geologic wonderland," he continues.

Interactive maps illustrate the geology, earthquakes, and

hydrothermal areas that make up Yellowstone National Park. The

site includes downloadable GIS datasets that allow students and

researchers to view layers ranging from past geologic events

to satellite imagery, lake bathymetry, and volcano monitoring

equipment in the park. The data can also be viewed via Google

Earth with 3D visualizations of the area.

WSGS created the website as an educational information

portal, representing a major collaboration between WSGS and

USGS staff. "This product is a good example of what can be

accomplished when agencies cooperate and work toward a

common goal," Drean says.

Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest geyser basin in Yellowstone

http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcgisserver/


The WSGS Yellowstone Geologic GIS Database website includes

the following:

• More than 20 datasets available to download (individually or

combined)

• High-resolution lidar and digital elevation models

• Earthquake data (historical and current)

• Geology (bedrock, surface, geothermal, etc.)

• Hydrography (bathymetry of Yellowstone Lake)

• Other information (trails, place-names, boundaries)

• Interactive mapping application

• Live webcams

• USGS live earthquake feed

• Ability to search earthquakes in the park by magnitude

and date

• Print map feature

• Media gallery

• High-resolution photos of the park

• USGS videos of the Yellowstone Caldera

The website's main feature is a searchable map of Yellowstone

that was created by combining data from a variety of state and

federal sources into a single GIS database. The interactive map

includes an overlay of colors representing different types and

ages of rock. A user can then add various layers to the map, such

as topography and imagery (with zoom capability), and even

search for earthquakes in the area by typing in a minimum and/or

maximum magnitude and the years of interest.

"The flexibility and breadth of information contained on the

website allows people to quickly review information that is of

greatest interest and use to them," Drean adds.

The Wyoming Earthquake Database allows users to search earthquakes in the park by magnitude and date.


The present Yellowstone Plateau developed through volcanic

cycles spanning 2 million years that included some of the world's

largest known eruptions. The Yellowstone region includes three

calderas: the first cycle caldera formed 2.1 million years ago

during the eruption of the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff; the Henry's

Fork Caldera formed 1.3 million years ago near the present

location of the town of Island Park; and the Yellowstone Caldera

formed 640,000 years ago during the eruption of the Lava Creek

Tuff—an event that spread ash over much of the North American

continent. Since that time, there have been approximately

80 additional but smaller eruptions, such as lava flows. The

youngest of these range from 70,000 to 160,000 years old.

"The volcanic events that formed Yellowstone were not the

products of many millions of years of geologic change

ending many millions of years ago. We are seeing a time

scale compressed into only the last 2.1 million years," Drean

says. For the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, geologists and

volcanologists study in detail the latest periods of geologic time,

the Pliocene and the Quaternary, covering the last 5 million years

out of 4,500 million.

Yellowstone's geologic story also includes earthquakes, such as

the Hebgen Lake earthquake of 1959 near West Yellowstone

(magnitude 7.5). "This was a major earthquake," says Jacob

Lowenstern, scientist in charge of the USGS Yellowstone Volcano

Observatory. "It fractured geothermal reservoirs in Yellowstone,

creating new geysers and destroying others. Flow rates and

temperatures of hundreds of hot springs changed overnight," he

said.

Data collection, the use of Esri software and other applications,

and the mapping efforts of WSGS are intended to further

research on Yellowstone's geologic past and future. "With

this web-based tool, we have assembled data from a host of

research entities into a single searchable format," Drean says.

"This website will be continually updated, providing us with

the opportunity to interpret the past and plan for the future

of Yellowstone. And if the past gives us a glimpse for what is

to come, we know the Yellowstone landscape will continue to

change."

About the Author

Chamois Andersen writes and publishes reports for a

broad audience concerned about the environment and

natural resources. In her current role, she serves as head of

Communications and Public Outreach for WSGS. Previously,

she worked as a public information officer for the University of

Wyoming's Environment and Natural Resources Program, as

well as for the California Department of Fish and Game and the

Colorado Division of Wildlife.


40Conserving Earth's Gentle GiantsStewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

The logger's saw. Real estate development. Vineyard plantation.

Climate change.

All pose threats to California's giant redwood trees, according

to the Save the Redwoods League. In 1850, there were two

million acres of ancient coast redwood forests in California.

Today, fewer than 120,000 acres of these old-growth forests

remain, having fallen victim for years to unsustainable logging

practices, urbanization, poorly planned development, and road

building. Climate change is another concern, and the Save the

Redwoods League hopes to answer how it might affect the health

of redwood forests and giant sequoias through its $2.5 million

research project called the Redwoods and Climate Change

Initiative.

To help protect these majestic trees, the oldest of which dates

back 2,200 years, the Save the Redwoods League buys land in

northern and central California, where the coast redwoods grow.

Since forming in 1918, the California-based nonprofit organization

has purchased more than 189,000 acres for preservation. Some

of the land also includes giant sequoias, as well as upstream

acreage of coast redwood forests, which is important to preserve

from a watershed standpoint.

In the past, the League bought land based in part on

recommendations from concerned citizens who wanted a

Conserving Earth's Gentle GiantsSave the Redwoods League Maps the Future of Important Ecosystem

In 2006, the Save the Redwoods League doubled the size of the Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve by purchasing and adding parcels with old-growth Douglas-fir forests and rare oak woodland habitats on them, as shown on this map.

(Courtesy of Save the Redwoods League.)

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 41Conserving Earth's Gentle Giants

particular piece of land protected, but it was hard to know the

entire picture based solely on word of mouth.

Today, the Save the Redwoods League uses maps, scientific

knowledge, more than 90 years of experience, and the latest

technology—including GIS—to create detailed regional

conservation strategies for redwood forests, parks, and

connecting landscapes. Much of the land purchased and

protected now lies in Humboldt Redwoods State Park and

Redwood National and State Parks, along the coast of Northern

California. Many of the League's conservation efforts would not

have been possible without GIS, which is used to analyze data

about the redwoods, development, nearby watersheds, and rare

plants and endangered animals in those areas.

To strategically guide, prioritize, and focus its land protection

efforts, the Save the Redwoods League launched the Master

Plan for the Redwoods in the late 1990s. As part of this plan, the

League used GIS models to identify areas that are important to

protect. The models incorporated data on the locations of

• Trails

• Ancient redwoods

• Existing parks

• Habitat for imperiled and sensitive species, such as the coho

salmon, northern spotted owl, and marbled murrelet

• Threats to the forest, including residential development, land

conversion to vineyards, road building, and incompatible

forestry practices, plus many other dangers

The League wants people to experience the redwoods, so if an

area contains features that encourage people to visit the majestic

trees—such as good hiking trails or beautiful scenery—the area

is given a higher rank and has a better chance of receiving public

support to protect it. Based on these conservation models, the

data is then analyzed using ArcGIS Desktop software, and maps

are created and used throughout the organization for deciding

what parcels of land to try and acquire, fund-raising appeals,

outreach, and resource management.

Access to accurate data is crucial for the League's GIS analysis

and mapping. Data comes from public agencies, such as the

California Department of Fish and Game, California State Parks,

the National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Laura Kindsvater, senior conservation planner at the Save the

Redwoods League, says the GIS data used in analyses includes

• Rare and sensitive species, such as the northern spotted owl,

Pacific giant salamander, Sonoma tree vole, and Humboldt

milk vetch

• Fish streams that provide habitat to the threatened or

endangered coho and Chinook


• The U.S. Forest Service's existing vegetation data depicting

where mature, second-growth forests occur Habitat model

data for wide-ranging species, such as the mountain lion,

Pacific fisher, and other forest carnivores

• Projected development, roads, and timber harvest plan

boundaries

"Combining and analyzing this data using GIS allows us to visually

determine which areas are most important for protection,"

Kindsvater says, "and we can then act on this newfound

knowledge."

By using GIS to assist in creating the master plan, the Save the

Redwoods League has identified land across the entire range

of coast redwood forests in California, down to the property

level, that rank highly for protection. Based on GIS analyses, the

League has created detailed regional strategies that outline

land acquisition goals. Now that the League has completed the

detailed regional strategies, the organization will implement the

master plan and contact owners of higher-ranked land in areas

such as the Santa Cruz Mountains, Humboldt and Del Norte

counties, coastal Mendocino and Sonoma counties, and the San

Francisco Bay area to find out if they are willing to sell their land

or work together on a conservation agreement. (An example of

a conservation agreement is when a landowner donates or sells

the right to develop land to the Save the Redwoods League while

continuing to own the property.)

ArcGIS is also helping the League discover more about important

ecological characteristics specific to the site of the lands it is

working to protect so that it can build a case for the property.

For example, when the League was raising funds to purchase

land to add to Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve in

Mendocino County, it used GIS in combination with fieldwork to

find out what types of vegetation grew on each piece of property

and which of these were rare and targeted for conservation at the

statewide level. Several of the properties have native grasslands

and Oregon white oak forests on them, which are both a high

priority for acquisition by state natural resource agencies. GIS

Old-growth coast redwood forest.

(Photo by Howard King.)


was also used to better understand how each parcel contributes

to increased protection of the surrounding Big River watershed,

as well as the good health of specific fish populations within

the watershed and downstream of the parcels. Since the 1960s,

when several large floods in Humboldt County caused massive

erosion from logged areas upstream that then inflicted heavy

damage to old-growth forests downstream, the League has had

a commitment to protecting redwood ecosystems at a watershed

scale.

"In addition," says Kindsvater, "we have been able to identify,

using GIS, 35 project areas across the state of California that are

a priority for protection. Focusing on these project areas allows

us to be much more effective as an organization in protecting

the last remaining groves of old-growth redwoods, building the

viability of parks and reserves, and maintaining and restoring

connecting landscapes."

Sixteen of the 35 project areas have been identified as high

priority to purchase and protect, allowing the League to further

focus its energy. For example, the Coastal Sonoma project area

in Sonoma County, located to the west and northwest of Santa

Rosa, has been identified as high priority. Sonoma County has a

wealth of incredibly beautiful redwood forests, a low percentage

of currently protected lands, significant groves of old growth that

remain unprotected, and a high potential to provide inspiration

and recreation for millions of people who live less than two hours

away. Yet these old-growth stands are also threatened by a rapid

growth rate in population throughout Sonoma County. Through

the master plan, the Save the Redwoods League has learned

that there are important lands in the coastal Sonoma region to

protect and that the organization must act now to conserve them.

It has therefore been investing a great amount of time, energy,

and resources in increasing land protection in this region over

the last several years, culminating in several large land purchases,

such as the Jenner Headlands and Stewarts Point acquisitions.

More Information

For more information, visit SaveTheRedwoods.org.


http://savetheredwoods.org/

44Conservation Group Seeks to Save Rare Ethiopian WolvesStewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213

Ethiopian wolves, the rarest canids in the world, face many

threats to their survival. One of the most serious comes from

rabies, transmitted to the animals from domestic dogs.

To protect the wolves, the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation

Programme (EWCP) (www.ethiopianwolf.org), with help from

other organizations, operates a rabies vaccination program that

uses GIS technology to target the best locations to vaccinate the

dogs and wolves that will prevent the spread of the virus.

The Danger the Wolves Face

Fewer than 450 Ethiopian wolves still roam the mountainous

regions of Ethiopia, Africa. They live at altitudes of more than

9,800 feet and are only found in seven isolated populations.

The largest comprises 250 wolves that make their home in the

protected area of the Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) in

south central Ethiopia.

EWCP was founded in 1995 to promote sustainable solutions for

protecting the Ethiopian wolf. The organization mainly focuses its

efforts in and around BMNP.

EWCP takes a three-pronged approach to saving the wolves:

Educating people about the importance of protecting the wolves,

monitoring the wolf populations, and vaccinating the wolves and

local dogs against diseases.

The Ethiopian highlands, where the wolves reside, have become

some of the most densely populated agricultural areas within

Conservation Group Seeks to Save Rare Ethiopian WolvesRabies Threatens Endangered Species in Africa

By Christopher H. Gordon, Graham Hemson, and Anne-Marie E. Stewart, Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme

Overview of BMNP showing all dog and wolf carcasses found.

http://www.ethiopianwolf.org/

Stewards of the Natural World: GIS for National ParksJ10213 45Conservation Group Seeks to Save Rare Ethiopian Wolves

Africa. With human development surrounding and encroaching

on the animals' habitat, the wolves are confined to small areas

and isolated from other wolf populations.

The majority of people living here are pastoralists, and their

livestock overgraze and trample the natural Afro-alpine habitat.

With the climate warming, the cultivation of crops at high

altitudes is becoming more viable and results in the loss of

indigenous plant species. This leads to the destruction of habitat

for rodents, which are the wolves' main prey.

While the Ethiopian wolf is threatened by habitat loss, and

thus prey reduction, persecution, and hybridization, diseases

transmitted from the local domestic dog population remain the

primary threat to the species. There were rabies outbreaks in

Ethiopian wolves in BMNP in 1991–92 and again in 2003–04. This

disease is fatal, and in past known cases, it has killed at least

70 percent of wolves in the core infection area. This is obviously a

significant threat to an already critically endangered species.

Vaccination Program Gets Under Way

In 1996, EWCP launched a domestic dog vaccination program,

aiming to vaccinate 70 percent of the 20,000 dogs living in and

around the national park. Theoretically, such vaccinations would

curtail the disease and stop it from spreading to the wolves.

However, dogs have a tough life and a short lifespan in Ethiopia,

with many vaccinated dogs dying young and puppies constantly

being born that need to be inoculated. Furthermore, during the

dry season, herders and their livestock and dogs travel into wolf

range from many miles away to take advantage of the grazing

still available within the park. This increased contact with the

Ethiopian wolves raises the risk of rabies spreading to the wolves.

Currently, EWCP can only afford to vaccinate 7,000 dogs per year

(at a cost of $6 per dog). All these factors combine to make it

extremely difficult to vaccinate 70 percent of the local domestic

dog population and ensure the wolves will be protected.

A wolf released after a vaccination.

(Photo copyright © Anne-Marie E. Stewart.)


Dr. Jorgelina Marino, EWCP's ecologist, first began implementing

ArcGIS software in 2005 with support from the Society for

Conservation GIS (SCGIS). ArcGIS was used to collate data

collected by the organization's wolf monitoring team on wolf

distribution, individual pack territories, and habitat availability.

Using GIS, EWCP mapped where vaccinations were concentrated

from year to year and more efficiently planned where to target

vaccinations in the future.

Understanding a Rabies Outbreak

During a recent rabies outbreak among Ethiopian wolves, ArcGIS

software helped EWCP stop the disease from spreading.

Most wolves in BMNP are split into three linked subpopulations:

Sanetti Plateau, Morebawa, and the Web Valley. In late August

2008, EWCP researchers in the Web Valley found a dead

Ethiopian wolf. The monitoring team regularly discovered more

carcasses from early October 2008 onward, with laboratory

testing confirming seven rabies cases. As each case was

discovered, it was added to a rapidly growing GIS layer of the

area, helping EWCP better understand the likely origin of the

outbreak and which direction it was spreading through the

population. The rabies had been carried into the wolf range by a

rabid dog, which must have bitten a wolf. Wolves are social pack

animals (once one has rabies, the disease spreads quite rapidly).

Thirty-nine carcasses were recovered from the Web Valley

between August 28, 2008, and January 15, 2009. Because EWCP

researchers are so familiar with the wolf population there, they

knew 13 more wolves were missing from the area.

Due in part to the information gained from mapping the

outbreak, EWCP received permission from Ethiopian

conservation authorities to vaccinate 50 wolves against rabies.

Permission for vaccinating wolves is only granted by the

authorities once a rabies outbreak has occurred.

The intervention began on October 20, 2008. The objectives

were to contain the rabies virus within the Web Valley and reduce

the probability of BMNP wolves becoming extinct by protecting

wolf packs in other key adjacent subpopulations.

Effective planning for such an endeavor is critical, and ArcGIS

Desktop ArcView excelled in this task. The locations of

discovered carcasses were mapped, along with previous data on

pack locations and viable habitats.

Based on the maps and EWCP's understanding of the two

previous rabies epidemics, the disease's potential spread was

estimated. Decisions about where to set the live traps for the

wolves were also made before mobilizing the vaccination team.

Since restrictions exist on the number of wolves that can be

vaccinated, it was crucial to ensure that every vaccination was

utilized to maximum effect.


As Morebawa was the most immediately threatened

subpopulation, trapping the wolves for vaccination was focused

on the Web Valley, East Morebawa, and the Web Isthmus (a small

corridor) between these two populations.

During more than 1,200 hours of trapping, 50 wolves were

vaccinated from 11 packs. Vaccination efforts were based

on population viability modeling outcomes showing that, if

40 percent of the wolves in each pack were vaccinated, the

probability of that pack's survival would increase from 54 percent

to 90 percent.

But despite wolf vaccinations conducted in October, rabies was

spreading swiftly through the domestic dog population around

the national park. The EWCP team began to find wolf carcasses

from West Morebawa in early May 2009. In total, 11 carcasses

were found, while the monitors only identified 32 live wolves in

a population that should have numbered closer to 90. Samples

were collected from one wolf, and it tested positive for rabies.

Authorities again granted EWCP permission to vaccinate

50 wolves. By the time the outbreak was discovered, however, it

was considered too far advanced to protect the remaining wolves

from the West Morebawa area. Fortunately, 8 of the 32 remaining

wolves had been vaccinated against rabies during the 2003

epidemic. EWCP focused the second intervention effort on the

third major subpopulation, the wolves on the Sanetti Plateau, and

vaccinated 48 wolves from nine packs in fewer than 700 hours of

trapping. During the second trapping effort, two more carcasses

were discovered on the Sanetti Plateau. Both were juveniles,

found dead at a time when mortality would be naturally high in

individuals of that age due to their recent independence and

inexperience in finding food. They tested negative for rabies.

Benefits of Long-Term Monitoring

The swift response to outbreaks such as these could not be

possible without EWCP's long-term population monitoring

program. Strategic decisions were made based on in-depth

demographic knowledge about the carcasses discovered

and wolves that were missing. This knowledge was also

integral for implementing the rabies vaccination program and

postintervention monitoring. Combined with new technologies

such as GIS, EWCP launched rapid and effective intervention

procedures. Reactive intervention campaigns are costly, both

financially and in terms of potential loss of population size and

viability. Careful planning helps reduce the costs somewhat while

increasing the effectiveness of any action taken.

The constant threat of rabies and the past history of two previous

known outbreaks combined with this current epidemic suggest

that this problem is not solved yet. Despite the early detection, a

significant number of wolves in BMNP still died.

An estimated 67 percent of wolves from six unvaccinated packs

in Web Valley and 73 percent of wolves in West Morebawa were


lost. In all, the 50 carcasses and 66 missing wolves represent

approximately 36 percent of BMNP's wolf population and

possibly more than 25 percent of the global population, (a

worrisome and real threat to a wonderful species).

About the Authors

Christopher H. Gordon, Graham Hemson, and

Anne-Marie E. Stewart are with the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation

Programme, Robe, Bale, Ethiopia, of the Wildlife Conservation

Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford,

Oxford, United Kingdom.

More Information

For more information, contact the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation

Programme, Robe, Bale, Ethiopia, at [email protected].

Acknowledgments are online.


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